Collaborative multimodal authoring of virtual worlds

This work aims the creation of virtual worlds by working teams with resource to advanced interaction techniques, such as speech commands and gestures, as well as the resource to portable devices. The physical characteristics of virtual reality environments lead us to a different kind of user interfaces. However, we found some usefulness on the classic WIMP paradigm, which we also apply by using a PDA, in order to complement the interaction possibilities. In terms of application description we use the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. One of the main goals is the separation/combination of VRML files in order to allow the work to be cared out individually by the members of the team, and later combine the results to produce the global virtual world.O objectivo deste trabalho é a criação de mundos virtuais por equipas de trabalho com recurso a técnicas avançadas de interacção, tais como comandos de fala e gestos, e a dispositivos móveis. As características físicas dos ambientes de realidade virtual conduzem-nos a diferentes tipos de interfaces de utilizador. Contudo, encontramos certa utilidade no clássico paradigma WIMP, que é utilizado recorrendo a um PDA, para complementar as possibilidades de interacção. Em termos de descrição da aplicação utilizamos a linguagem de modelação para realidade virtual – VRML. Um dos principais objectivos consiste na separação/combinação de arquivos VRML para permitir o trabalho individual a cada um dos elementos da equipa, e posteriormente a combinação de resultados para produzir o mundo virtual global.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Collaborative multimodal authoring of virtual worlds

This work aims the creation of virtual worlds by working teams with resource to advanced interaction techniques, such as speech commands and gestures, as well as the resource to portable devices. The physical characteristics of virtual reality environments lead us to a different kind of user interfaces. However, we found some usefulness on the classic WIMP paradigm, which we also apply by using a PDA, in order to complement the interaction possibilities. In terms of application description we use the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. One of the main goals is the separation/combination of VRML files in order to allow the work to be cared out individually by the members of the team, and later combine the results to produce the global virtual world

PrintSense: a versatile sensing technique to support multimodal flexible surface interaction

We present a multimodal on-surface and near-surface sensing technique for planar, curved and flexible surfaces. Our technique leverages temporal multiplexing of signals coming from a universal interdigitated electrode design, which is printed as a single conductive layer on a flexible substrate. It supports sensing of touch and proximity input, and moreover is capable of capturing several levels of pressure and flexing. We leverage recent developments in conductive inkjet printing as a way to prototype electrode patterns, and combine this with our hardware module for supporting the full range of sensing methods. As the technique is low-cost and easy to implement, it is particularly well-suited for prototyping touch- and hover-based user interfaces, including curved and deformable ones

Designing Normative Theories for Ethical and Legal Reasoning: LogiKEy Framework, Methodology, and Tool Support

A framework and methodology---termed LogiKEy---for the design and engineering of ethical reasoners, normative theories and deontic logics is presented. The overall motivation is the development of suitable means for the control and governance of intelligent autonomous systems. LogiKEy's unifying formal framework is based on semantical embeddings of deontic logics, logic combinations and ethico-legal domain theories in expressive classic higher-order logic (HOL). This meta-logical approach enables the provision of powerful tool support in LogiKEy: off-the-shelf theorem provers and model finders for HOL are assisting the LogiKEy designer of ethical intelligent agents to flexibly experiment with underlying logics and their combinations, with ethico-legal domain theories, and with concrete examples---all at the same time. Continuous improvements of these off-the-shelf provers, without further ado, leverage the reasoning performance in LogiKEy. Case studies, in which the LogiKEy framework and methodology has been applied and tested, give evidence that HOL's undecidability often does not hinder efficient experimentation.Comment: 50 pages; 10 figure

Size Matters: Microservices Research and Applications

In this chapter we offer an overview of microservices providing the introductory information that a reader should know before continuing reading this book. We introduce the idea of microservices and we discuss some of the current research challenges and real-life software applications where the microservice paradigm play a key role. We have identified a set of areas where both researcher and developer can propose new ideas and technical solutions.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1706.0735

Standardization of Design Interfaces Applied to Language Test on-line through Ubiquitous Devices

[EN] Normalization of design rules and guidelines in English language tests to help future instructors and assessment developers in the field of examination of English as a foreign language. have not been defined sufficiently until present days. In fact, there are several experiences and investigations related to the user¿s experiences in the handling of computer exams for learning a second language that have been evaluated in, for and through different experimental interactive digital environments. These interactive scenarios oriented to the user experience, UX in the ubiquitous devices, have allowed to learn technological, functional and design aspects that will be necessary in the future to establish the standards in design and vision for language tests in its online environment. The lack of effective and realistic regulations has become a functional requirement for the progress of research on digital environments adapted to the needs of competence assessment and more specifically, to the learning environment of second language (L2). Proliferation of on-line tests of language certification of ls with a structural corpus depends on where there are not really functional and formal guidelines that allow evaluating their quality and adequacy from the experience of the user and according to the level of learning competences acquired in a second language. This article describes aspects of design that should be taken into account when defining an online test of languages in a ubiquitous device that will mark verifiable guidelines of a general nature and affect the evaluation task in the formation of languages that need to be checked and evaluated periodically.Magal Royo, T.; García Laborda, J. (2018). Standardization of Design Interfaces Applied to Language Test on-line through Ubiquitous Devices. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM). 12(4):21-31. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v12i4.9197S213112